Lid-clamp for cases or crates.



` w. H. BECKER. LID CLAMP FDR CASES 0R CBATES.

AFPLICAT'ION FILED DEC-29| WIG.

l Q@6,,5U3 Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

m mm www. ...amm Mmmm n n i To all whom t may concern:

wiLILIM 1i; BECKER, or carenti), `1v1rssonnr.

LID-CLAMP ron cases on* cnarns resaaoa p Lid-Clamp for Cases or Crates; andfl 2do* hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,`

\ such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

y rlhis invention relates to a new and useful lid or cover clamp, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and eiicient device of this kind, particularly designed for use in connection with egg cases, crates and the like.

A further object of the invention is tof provide a clampconsisting of a single piece of spring wire material bent to form a loop, the sides of which havingl shoulders to engage under a staple, while the terminals of the sides terminate in means to engage over i a cleat ofthe lid or cover of the box or crate,

to hold the lid in place.

In practical fields, the details of construction may necessitate alterations fallingwithin the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and `combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a suitable egg case or crate `or box, showing the improved lid or cover clamp applied.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the clamp detached.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring more especially tothe drawings, 1 designates a suitable box, crate `or case, in which any suitable commodity may be shipped and provided with a lid or cover 2. Secured to the upper face of the lid 2 adjacent its ends by means of suitable rivets or the like 3 are cleats 4. Each cleat on its upper surface adjacent each end,`and on the side edges of said cleats, grooves or recesses 5 are formed. The outer faces of `theupper end cleats 6 of the body of the box or crate are provided with vertical recesses 7 in whic the side arms of the lid fastener or clamp engage. However, the recesses or grooves 7 do not` extend fully to the lower edge of each cleat 6, hence, shoulders 8 are formed. Each lid fastener or clamp, 9` is Specification of LettersPatentl H. BECKER,

Y `raaiutati neas, rais..

Application iedDecember 29, 1916. lSeraliNoi 139,666."

constructedrfrom asingleilength of spring wire;` bent to form a loop"10, the side arms 11,. of which are bent to form the: shoulders `or outwardly extending portions 12,- while the portions of said `ammsabove the shoulders engage andextend vertically of the grooves or recesses 7, and also the grooves ofthe outer sideedge of the cleat orstrp 4. The upper portions ofthearms 11 of each clamp orfastener are bent at `13 to form the parts 14, which extend laterally and engage the grooves ofthe upper face of the cleat `4. These portions 14, at their extremities, are

`bent at 15` toform the lugs 16, which engage the portions 17 of the grooves or recesses 5 of the inner edgeof the cleat 4. Staples 18 arch over the sides or arms of the loop of the fastener or clamp, immediately adjacent the shoulders 12, thereby holding the arms 11 in the recesses or grooves 7 and the lateral portions and the lugs 16 in the grooves 5, therebyholding the lid or cover clamped to the body of the box or crate securely. When lirst packing the crate or box for shipment, the clamp `is then initially applied. For instance the cover is placed to close the crate or box, then the clamp is arranged so thatthe parts 11 `14and 16 will engage the portion adjoining the grooves or recesses 5 and 7, whereby the loop 10 will contact with the cleat 6. The staple 18 is then arranged to straddle the arms 11 adjacent the bends be` i tween the arms 11 and the portions 12. The staple is then driven home. In order to remove the cover, the parts 14 of each clamp are sprung upwardly and outwardly whereby the cover 2 may be slid or moved trans versely-of the box orcrate. ln order to rei turn the cover in closed position with the box or crate, it isthe design to slide the cover, sothat the cleats 4`may engage under `the parts 14, until the arms 11, the parts 14 cent Vright angle faces of a top and side of a" case, of parallel grooves formed `in three of the contiguous outer faces of the cleat of the top, the outer `face of the side cleat hav.I

ing parallel grooves which aline with the first grooves, a fastener being constructed from a single length of spring wire bent upon itself to form a U-shaped loop, the

transverse part of ythe loop engaging the outer face of the side cleat, the arms of the loop being disposed upwardly and outwardly and bent inwardly and having vert-ical parts engaging the grooves of the outer face of the side cleat, the upperends of the vertical parts terminating in right angle parallel portions terminating in downwardly extending hooks, the upper portions of the vertical parts and the right angle parallel portions and the vvdownwardly extending hooks adapted to engage the grooves vof"-the'tln'ee contiguous outer faces of the top cleat, and a staple .arching .the varms of the loop where they are loent inwardly toward the side cleat .1 5 and piercingthe side cleat to secure the WILLIAM H. BECKER. Vitnesses V. A. WELRIGH, y A. M. KAMISCHMIDT.

maple: fofthisipatent may fue .obtained :for fve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` l Washingtomlnic. 

